Predicting How Current Top-Ranked Recruiting Classes Will Finish the 2015 Cycle

National signing day 2015 is still nearly 11 months away, but this recruiting cycle is already entering a crucial stretch. By now, college coaching staffs have dedicated countless hours to watching junior season game tape, extending scholarship offers to prospects who graded well within the program's scouting system.

Most FBS programs are in the process of planning an on-campus junior day or have already hosted one. Spring practice presents an opportunity for recruits to spend time on the sidelines and gain an understanding of how each program prepares for the upcoming campaign.

Summer camps also loom large on the horizon. When players put pen to paper on signing day, this is a stage of their recruitment that carries significant weight.

Several squads are well on their way to securing impactful 2015 recruiting classes, while others are still searching for momentum. We break down the country's current top 10 classes in 247Sports' composite rankings and look at what lies ahead for each team.

Clemson

Credit: 247SportsOffensive tackle Mitch Hyatt

Current National Ranking: No. 10 (eight players, one 5-star, two 4-stars)

Key Commits

Mitch Hyatt, a 5-star prospect, committed to Clemson last month on signing day, providing head coach Dabo Swinney with a foundation to build on next February. The Georgia standout is America's top-ranked offensive tackle and spurned offers from several national title contenders, including Auburn and Ohio State.

Fellow Peach State product Shadell Bell is the latest in a long line of talented receiver prospects to pick he Tigers. The 4-star pass target pledged in November.

Van Smith is a versatile 4-star athlete capable of playing on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Tucker Israel of Orlando, Fla., committed to the Tigers in early February.

Potential Pickups

Clemson would like to pull another prospect out of Orlando with a pledge from 4-star tight end Garrett Williams, a frequent campus visitor. If the team opts to sign multiple quarterbacks, Texan Chason Virgil is a strong possibility.

Clemson looks to find continued success in Florida, where the team is also pursuing coveted 5-star athlete George Campbell and elite offensive tackle Jake Fruhmorgen, who could bookend Hyatt on the line for years to come.

Projected Final Ranking: Top eight

Swinney is a proven closer on the recruiting trail. An exciting Orange Bowl victory over Ohio State supplied late momentum for the 2014 cycle, and another successful season would do wonders as well.

Arkansas

Credit: 247SportsDefensive tackle Hjalte Froholdt

Current National Ranking: No. 9 (six players, four 4-stars)

Key Commits

The Razorbacks have really addressed issues in the trenches so far with this class. Defensive linemen Hjalte Froholdt and Jamario Bell, both 4-star prospect, are physically imposing and ready to battle with SEC offensive attacks.

The team is hunting for skill players, particularly in the passing game. Tight end Will Gragg and wide receiver Deon Stewart rank among Arkansas' top high school players.

Jashon Cornell, a 5-star defensive end, can make a case as the best pass-rusher in America. He's built a solid relationship with the Razorbacks coaching staff during his recruitment.

Projected Final Ranking: No. 20-25

Arkansas needs to show serious improvement against SEC opponents in order to carry recruiting momentum through the fall. Players like head coach Bret Bielema, but his success at Wisconsin won't help him if the team stumbles again during his second season in Fayetteville.

Penn State

Credit: 247SportsRunning back Andre Robinson

Current National Ranking: No. 8 (seven players, four 4-stars)

Key Commits

Head coach James Franklin is off to a strong start recruiting within Pennsylvania. He landed 4-star in-state running backs Andre Robinson and Saquon Barkley in February, when Penn State also picked up a pledge from offensive tackle Ryan Bates.

Franklin has a promising squad primed to make strides this season in an expanded Big Ten Conference. Bill O'Brien laid the groundwork for a rebound from Paterno-era sanctions, and this class should produce impact players ready to help lead the team back into bowl competition.

Tennessee

Credit: 247SportsLinebacker Cecil Cherry

Current National Ranking: No. 7 (eight players, three 4-stars)

Key Commits

The Volunteers have enjoyed success recruiting top receivers in recent years. Preston Williams, the country's sixth-rated player at the position in 247Sports' composite rankings, pledged to Tennessee early in his junior season.

Tennessee is in the mix for Chuma Edoga, a Georgia product who might be America's most dominant offensive tackle. Defensive end Kyle Phillips, a 4-star prospect out of Nashville, Tn., is a key in-state priority.

If the Volunteers can come away with an elite defensive tackle like Trent Thompson or Shy Tuttle. it would provide a significant boost against fearsome SEC rushing attacks.

Projected Final Ranking: Top 10

Volunteers coach Butch Jones turned heads by bringing in a highly rated class after his first season in Knoxville. Though the team finished under .500, his recruiting results showed a freshly charged effort to keep top players in Tennessee. Expect another impressive haul in 2015, setting the stage for a serious rise in SEC standings.

Mississippi State is certainly making up ground in SEC recruiting competition but will once again finish near the bottom of the conference on signing day. Still, a top 25 recruiting class is within reach if Mullen can make inroads with recruits in neighboring states.

Florida State

Credit: 247SportsSafety Derwin James

Current National Ranking: No. 5 (seven players, one 5-star, three 4-stars)

Key Commits

Derwin James, a 5-star safety commit, has been the catalyst for this class since he committed as a freshman. He's joined on defense by fellow Florida standouts Tyrek Cole and Calvin Brewton, who both excel in the defensive backfield.

Florida State is in a solid situation with Georgia defensive tackle Trent Thompson, who is the No. 1 overall prospect in 247Sports' composite rankings. The Seminoles are also sitting pretty with 5-star New Jersey cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Fisher can fill offensive slots by signing Orlando, Fla., standouts Jacques Patrick (running back) and Garrett Williams (tight end), who is the son of a former Florida State player. Miami receiver Da'Vante Phillips is a pivotal prospect near the top of the team's board, while Tallahassee pass target John Burt would also boost the aerial attack.

Projected Final Ranking: Top three

Florida State has an incredible amount of momentum and swagger in the recruiting spectrum these days. The reigning national champs will remain front and center in the public spotlight with reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston returning as the sport's most recognizable player. Fisher will capitalize on the constant exposure.

West Virginia managed to keep Morgantown, W.V., defensive end Stone Wolfley in town, locking up its top in-state prospect. Ohio offensive tackle Matt Jones beefs up the front line.

Potential Pickups

The team remains very much in the mix for Ohio running back Larry Scott. Other possible additions to the offensive backfield include North Carolina rusher Reggie Gallaspy and Florida quarterback Lamar Jackson.

West Virginia will attempt to pry more prospects away from the Miami area, including safety Khalid McGee.

Projected Final Ranking: No. 30-35

The Mountaineers' current placement in national recruiting rankings is based far more on quantity than quality. Expect several squads to surpass West Virginia this summer as the dominoes begin to fall. The program must improve on the field in its third season as a Big 12 Conference member in order to make significant strides on signing day.

Les Miles always manages to assemble a strong recruiting class, and his success on signing day this year solidified that sentiment. The Tigers routinely play a ton of nationally televised games and collect recruits from talent-laden Louisiana, although the state's 2015 prospect depth doesn't compare to what we saw during the 2014 cycle.

Alabama

Credit: 247SportsDefensive end Mekhi Brown

Current National Ranking: No. 2 (eight players, one 5-star, six 4-stars)

Key Commits

Alabama quickly addressed its running back situation with a commitment from in-state prospect Desherrius Flowers last April. Coach Nick Saban received his commitment days after 5-star Georgia defensive end Mekhi Brown pledged to the program.

Texas safety Deionte Thompson fits the physical mold of what Saban seeks for his secondary. Daylon Charlot out of Louisiana is the latest big-play wide receiver Alabama has landed.

Should we expect anything less in Tuscaloosa? Saban has secured four consecutive No. 1 recruiting classes and will challenge for the top spot again in 2015. However, Alabama hits the recruiting trail without the title of defending champ for the first time since 2011.

Quarterback Kyler Murray is a two-time Texas state champion and is the son of former Texas A&M star Kevin Murray. Linebacker Malik Jefferson and wide receiver Damarkus Lodge are 5-star in-state prospects strongly considering careers in College Station.